By Dr. Glenn Davis
Injectable treatments like BOTOX® and dermal fillers are increasingly popular because they can deliver impressive skin rejuvenating results without surgery, downtime or significant financial investment. Yet, despite their broad popularity, there is still a good deal of confusion surrounding these treatments. Can all injectables be interchangeably, or do they have different uses? Here are some key features of BOTOX® as compared to dermal fillers to help you decide which approach might best suit your needs...or if combining the two could deliver a more powerful age-fighting punch.

BOTOX®

The key difference between BOTOX® and injectable fillers is this: BOTOX® relaxes muscle movement in order to decrease the appearance of existing lines and wrinkles, while fillers replace lost volume in the face. BOTOX® is best for wrinkles that result from repetitive motion from facial expressions, like crow's feet, forehead lines and frown lines (the dreaded "11s" that form between the eyes).

Fillers

Injectable fillers like Restylane®, RADIESSE®, JUVÉDERM® and others can help you look younger by filling in areas of lost volume that lead to deeper lines or folds even at rest. Fillers can help restore fullness to the lips and tear troughs, fill in parentheses lines at the sides of the mouth and improve the look of the nasolabial folds among other benefits.

Strength in Union

While BOTOX® and fillers have different strengths, they don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Rather than being used interchangeably, these two complementary treatments are often used together to target a range of age-related changes on the face. Working with the guidance of a board certified plastic surgeon, a customized med spa treatment plan using both types of products can create beautiful, more youthful results.